Advent: Deck the Rented Halls

Happy November! I am so, so interested in how other people handle Christmas decor. On one hand, I'm always reading on budgeting blogs that seasonal decorations are often the unbudgeted extra $50-100 that tips families over the edge. But it's also a dark time of year when decorations can really lift the spirits. For me (as with almost all things!) the key is to get as much bang for your buck as possible. The more classic and simple you keep your decor choices, the more affordable the season is, plus the less you have to store the rest of the year!


In true male fashion, my husband never seemed particularly grateful or eager when I did go all out, but then on the years when I kept it minimal he was an unhappy camper. To be fair, I did once do a weird vase of twigs and branches and call it our Christmas tree. It should've been gorgeous and minimalist but instead was just really sad and pathetic. 

I've recently settled on a habit of purchasing $15-25 worth of disposal Christmas decor each year. I'll grab it secondhand at Goodwill or cheap at Dollar Tree, use it for the month, and then if I'm not in love with it I'll donate it back. It keeps me from storing things long term, especially with us only busting most things out about every other year. We move annually, and I have a hard time justifying storing lots of plastic Christmas crap that doesn't have sentimental value.

So- what do I actually end up making or buying every year? 

Around here a fresh tree costs around $45, plus there's all the trimmings and a tree stand. Honestly, it ends up being a lot of work. This year, our lease forbids trees but I snagged a golden 1.5 foot tall swirling tree that will be perfect on the coffee table. I'm hoping to do one of these unusual tree outlines on a wall, and then a little display on the dining room table. Total cost for the mini tree: $3.60. Savings on a tree and tree stand? Around $60.

Because we aren't having a big tree to hang ornaments on, I'm planing to lay out big glass vases full of favorite ornaments. I can imagine propping them up on a few flat services at the edges of rooms and enjoying the burst of color. Bonus: the ornaments, vases and bowls are already owned. 

A little embarrassing, but I love grabbing the mini village houses at Dollar Tree then classing them up a bit by painting a subtle white wash to dull some of the tacky details. The ones at Goodwill can run up to $5 each, so I only grab them when they're on sale. I know that they aren't investment pieces and are a bit tacky anyway, so I don't feel bad if I only spend $5-$10 a year on them. 

Like every other human who gets mail, I love hanging Christmas cards from family and friends.  As an aside, I get genuinely sad in December that the exchange of Christmas cards seems to be dying. I send out about 30 a year, and receive perhaps 5-10 back. I love having photos of my nieces and nephews up and always feel kind of bummed and foolish to send out cards and not receive them back. Millennials- we've gotta bring back the card exchange! 

And that's a look at what I'm planning to do for Christmas decor this year! Not too exciting compared to homeowners or real Martha Stewarts who keep a nice stash of decorations throughout the years. For me, this seems to be the right amount of decorations so that we avoid clutter but still feel like there's a bit of excitement going on. 

The ultimate question: what did I budget in that handy dandy spreadsheet that we talked about last time? Dun.. dun.. dun.. $15 Total for Decorations. I'll let you know if I come in under budget!